Obasanjo: Leadership Institute One of My Earliest Responses to Governance Question

•Says it’s a movement to reclaim Africa’s leadership narrative

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Former President OlusegunObasanjo, yesterday, said the establishment of  OlusegunObasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI), was one of his earnest responses to the challenge of leadership in Africa.

The former president said he conceived the idea as a platform to raise and strengthen leaders, who were not only equipped for today’s realities but also prepared to navigate the complexities of tomorrow.

Obasanjo, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, KehindeAkinyemi, spoke during the formal inauguration of the board of the institute at OlusegunObasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).

He said OOLI was not only an institute, but a movement aimed to reclaim Africa’s leadership narrative.

Obasanjo admonished board members to be guided by the conviction that Africa’s greatest asset was its people – and that with the right leadership, there was no limit to what they could achieve for Africa and the world in collaboration with other regions.

He said the establishment was borne out of his over seven decades of understudying leadership development.

“Today marks not just the inauguration of the Governing Board of the OlusegunObasanjo Leadership Institute (OOLI), but the formal launch of the operational phase of a vision – a vision that has been shaped by my experiences and convictions spanning over seven decades.

“For more than 70 years, I have observed and engaged with the complex tapestry of Africa’s developmental journey. While our continent is rich in human and natural endowments, we have persistently fallen short in translating this potential into sustainable development, peace, and prosperity—largely because of deficits in leadership at various levels.

“Through the triumphs and the trials, one fault line has remained stubbornly persistent: the deficit in effective, ethical, transformational, inspirational and visionary leadership. This leadership gap has often been the difference between progress and stagnation, between peace and conflict, between prosperity and poverty.

“Today, I am pleased to formally announce that the Institute, which has received the blessing of the National Universities Commission as an affiliate of Bells University of Technology, is now ready for the full take-off of its programmes.

“This is not just an institutional milestone—it is a personal dream fulfilled. Our mission is clear: to equip leaders at all levels with the skills, capability, understanding, technology, values, orientation and vision necessary to transform our nations individually and our continent collectively.

“The OOLI will be a hybrid, though initially headed by a former Military General, it will not be a military organisation but borrow what is good from the military. It is blessed by NUC as an affiliate of Bellstech, but not an entirely academic university.

“It will copy the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in some ways but not entirely like NIPSS. It will be unique in every way. This is a significant milestone, and I am confident that OOLI will become a beacon of excellence in leadership education, preparation and practice.

“We will collaborate and network with organisations and institutions with similar aims and objectives for beneficial interactions and mutual exchanges,” Obasanjo said.

Obasanjo particularly commended the President of Ghana, John Mahama for coming to commission the Institute last year and gave his view on his governance  few months after inauguration in Ghana.

“I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency,  President John Mahama, for graciously and the headquarters of OOLI on March 5, 2024. Your unwavering support and commitment to the cause of leadership development in Africa are both inspiring and invaluable.

“Even within a few months of your Presidency of Ghana,  your imprint on development of that great country is clear for all to see. On many development indicators, Ghana is surging forward. Your presence with us today formally inaugurate this Board, is a testament to your belief in the power of leadership to change destinies and create giants out of Lilliputians.”

The former president also commended President of Mauritius, AmeenahGurib-Fakim, former President of South Africa, KgalemaMotlanthe and former President of Senegal, MackySall for their roles in leadership developments in Africa.